MBA Students Visit Leading Edge Silicon Valley Firms

04-11-2013

The MBA students in Professor Mark Cannice's Silicon Valley Explorer class met with
world class executives in technology, venture capital, and law in February as
they developed new insights for their own research. At Obscura Digital, a cutting-edge innovator
in visual display capability, they sampled the firm’s technology while they
talked strategy with its top executives. At Cardinal Partners, a leading
venture capital firm, they discussed investment strategies in emerging
healthcare firms with one of the firm’s senior partners. The class also visited
with senior executives at NetApp, a
prominent enterprise data storage and management provider, and Greenberg Traurig, a world-wide law firm.

“The goal of these executive meetings is for the students to develop unique
insights and thought leadership in emerging business opportunities that will support
their career development,” says Professor Cannice. The students wrote topical
white papers using material from previous executive interviews, their
experiences at the Silicon Valley meetings, and earlier primary research at bay
area technology and entrepreneurial events.

“The students crafted insightful white papers,”
says Professor Cannice, “that are in line with their professional objectives in
emerging business sectors. Through writing these papers, they are establishing
themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries.” The students
presented their papers to a panel of executives on March 8. The list of papers
included titles like “Why Your Company Needs a Chief Innovation Officer”, “The
Next Step in Barefoot Training”, “Three
Reasons Silicon Valley Companies Should put Taiwan on Their Business Horizon”,
“Six Lessons Non-Profits Can Apply From Venture-Backed Firms” and “What Silicon
Valley Recruiters and Job Seekers Should Know about Social Recruiting.” See the
full list of MBA student white papers here.